DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP11223816A in view of Wang et al. (US 2022/0131078).
As to claim 1, JP11223816A discloses in figure 1, a display cell, comprising: two electrodes 12a and 12b configured to be electrically coupled with a voltage supply; two alignment layers 13a and 13b formed over surfaces of the two electrodes; and a liquid crystal (LC) material 14 embedded between the two alignment layers, wherein: the alignment layers 13a and 13b includes grooves (paragraph [0040]), molecules of the LC material layer are enabled to align along the grooves when no voltage is applied to the two electrodes, and the two alignment layers include a polymer formed with a combination of an electron-donor material and an electron-acceptor material (paragraph [0033]).
JP11223816A does not disclose that the polymer resin of the alignment layers is formed with a combination of an electron-donor monomer and electron-acceptor monomer. Wang discloses in paragraph [0109] that polymers including electron donor/acceptor monomers show high oxidative stability and a long lifetime in electronic devices. Wang discloses in paragraph [0450] that the disclosed materials can form oriented anisotropic films which are especially useful as alignment layers to induce or enhance alignment in a liquid crystal medium. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JP11223816A by forming the polymer resin of the alignment layers with a combination of an electron-donor monomer and electron-acceptor monomer as disclosed by Wang in order to provide high oxidative stability and a long lifetime in electronic devices.
As to claim 2, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. JP11223816A further discloses in figure 1, wherein surfaces of the two electrodes 12a and 12b are facing the LC material layer 14.
As to claim 3, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. Furthermore, the molecules of the LC material layer are enabled to disengage from the alignment layers when a voltage higher than a threshold voltage associated with the LC material is applied to the LC material layer by applying a voltage to the two electrodes.
As to claim 4, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. Furthermore, the two electrodes 12a and 12b include an anode and a cathode, and the two alignment layers 13a and 13b comprise a first alignment layer and a second alignment layer adjacent to the anode and cathode, respectively.
As to claim 5, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 4. JP11223816A in view of Wang does not disclose wherein the first alignment layer comprises an electron-donor monomer configured to oxidize at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode. However, the oxidation is caused by the electron-donor monomer donating electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of JP11223816A as modified by Wang. Furthermore, JP11223816A discloses in paragraph [0028], optimizing the strength of the electron donating property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify JP11223816A, wherein the first alignment layer comprises an electron-donor monomer configured to oxidize at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron donating property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
As to claim 6, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 4. JP11223816A in view of Wang does not disclose wherein the second alignment layer comprises an electron-acceptor monomer configured to reduce at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode. However, the reduction is caused by the electron-acceptor monomer accepting electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of JP11223816A as modified by Wang. Furthermore, JP11223816A discloses in paragraph [0031], optimizing the strength of the electron accepting property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify JP11223816A, wherein the second alignment layer comprises an electron-acceptor monomer configured to reduce at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron accepting property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
As to claim 7, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 4. Furthermore, grooves formed in the polymer alignment layer by rubbing in one direction with a cloth (paragraph [0040]) comprise linearly oriented grooves. JP11223816A further discloses in paragraph [0069], wherein the linearly oriented grooves in the first alignment layer are perpendicular to the linearly oriented grooves in the second alignment layer. JP11223816A further discloses in paragraph [0055], wherein the molecules of the LC material layer may be formed in a cholesteric configuration.
As to claim 8, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 7. Furthermore, grooves formed in the polymer alignment layer by rubbing in one direction with a cloth (paragraph [0040]) comprise linearly oriented grooves that are parallel to each other. JP11223816A further discloses in paragraph [0055], wherein the molecules of the LC material layer may be formed in a nematic or a smectic configuration.
As to claim 9, JP11223816A discloses in figure 1, a display panel, comprising: a liquid crystal (LC) panel, comprising a plurality of LC cells (pixels) arranged in a planar configuration; each LC cell comprising: electrode layers 12a and 12b configured to be electrically coupled with a voltage supply; alignment layers 13a and 13b adjacent to the electrode layers, wherein: the alignment layers include a polymer formed with a combination of an electron-donor material and an electron-acceptor material (paragraph [0033]), the alignment layers include grooves (paragraph [0040]), and LC molecules are enabled to align along the grooves when no voltage is applied to the electrode layers.
JP11223816A does not disclose that the polymer resin of the alignment layers is formed with a combination of an electron-donor monomer and electron-acceptor monomer. Wang discloses in paragraph [0109] that polymers including electron donor/acceptor monomers show high oxidative stability and a long lifetime in electronic devices. Wang discloses in paragraph [0450] that the disclosed materials can form oriented anisotropic films which are especially useful as alignment layers to induce or enhance alignment in a liquid crystal medium. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JP11223816A by forming the polymer resin of the alignment layers with a combination of an electron-donor monomer and electron-acceptor monomer as disclosed by Wang in order to provide high oxidative stability and a long lifetime in electronic devices.
As to claim 10, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 9. Furthermore, the two electrodes 12a and 12b include an anode and a cathode, and the two alignment layers 13a and 13b comprise a first alignment layer and a second alignment layer adjacent to the anode and cathode, respectively.
As to claim 11, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10. Furthermore, grooves formed in the polymer alignment layer by rubbing in one direction with a cloth (paragraph [0040]) comprise linearly oriented grooves, and the LC molecules are enabled to align along the linearly oriented grooves when no voltage is applied to the electrode layers.
As to claim 12, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10. Furthermore, grooves formed in the polymer alignment layer by rubbing in one direction with a cloth (paragraph [0040]) comprise linearly oriented grooves, and the LC molecules are enabled to disengage from the alignment layers when a voltage higher than a threshold voltage associated with the LC material is applied to the LC material layer by applying a voltage to the electrode layers.
As to claim 13, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10. JP11223816A in view of Wang does not disclose wherein a first alignment layer of the alignment layers adjacent to the anode comprises an electron-donor monomer configured to oxidize at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode. However, the oxidation is caused by the electron-donor monomer donating electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of JP11223816A as modified by Wang. Furthermore, JP11223816A discloses in paragraph [0028], optimizing the strength of the electron donating property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify JP11223816A, wherein a first alignment layer of the alignment layers adjacent to the anode comprises an electron-donor monomer configured to oxidize at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron donating property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
As to claim 14, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10. JP11223816A in view of Wang does not disclose wherein a second alignment layer of the alignment layers adjacent to the cathode comprises an electron-acceptor monomer configured to reduce at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode. However, the reduction is caused by the electron-acceptor monomer accepting electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of JP11223816A as modified by Wang. Furthermore, JP11223816A discloses in paragraph [0031], optimizing the strength of the electron accepting property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify JP11223816A, wherein a second alignment layer of the alignment layers adjacent to the cathode comprises an electron-acceptor monomer configured to reduce at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron accepting property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
As to claim 15, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 9. Furthermore, grooves formed in the polymer alignment layer by rubbing in one direction with a cloth (paragraph [0040]) comprise linearly oriented grooves. JP11223816A further discloses in paragraph [0069], wherein the linearly oriented grooves in the first alignment layer are perpendicular to the linearly oriented grooves in the second alignment layer. JP11223816A further discloses in paragraph [0055], wherein the molecules of the LC material layer may be formed in a cholesteric configuration.
As to claim 16, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 9. Furthermore, grooves formed in the polymer alignment layer by rubbing in one direction with a cloth (paragraph [0040]) comprise linearly oriented grooves that are parallel to each other. JP11223816A further discloses in paragraph [0055], wherein the molecules of the LC material layer may be formed in a nematic or a smectic configuration.
As to claim 17, JP11223816A discloses in figure 1: forming a first multilayer structure over a first glass substrate 11a; forming a second multilayer structure over a second glass substrate 11b; and embedding an LC material layer 14 between the first multilayer structure and the second multilayer structure, wherein: the first multilayer structure comprises a first electrode 12a, a first alignment layer 13a including a first polymer layer, the second multilayer structure comprises a second electrode 12b, a second alignment layer 13b including a second polymer layer, and the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer include a combination of an electron-donor material and an electron-acceptor material (paragraph [0033]).
JP11223816A does not disclose that the polymer resin of the alignment layers is formed with a combination of an electron-donor monomer and electron-acceptor monomer. Wang discloses in paragraph [0109] that polymers including electron donor/acceptor monomers show high oxidative stability and a long lifetime in electronic devices. Wang discloses in paragraph [0450] that the disclosed materials can form oriented anisotropic films which are especially useful as alignment layers to induce or enhance alignment in a liquid crystal medium. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JP11223816A by forming the polymer resin of the alignment layers with a combination of an electron-donor monomer and electron-acceptor monomer as disclosed by Wang in order to provide high oxidative stability and a long lifetime in electronic devices.
As to claim 18, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 17. JP11223816A further discloses in figure 1, wherein embedding the LC material comprises forming the LC material layer 14 between the first polymer layer 13a and the second polymer layer 13b.
As to claim 19, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 17. Furthermore, grooves formed in the polymer alignment layers by rubbing in one direction with a cloth (paragraph [0040]) comprise linearly oriented grooves, including first linearly oriented grooves over the first polymer layer 13a that are parallel to each other. JP11223816A further discloses in paragraph [0055], wherein the molecules of the LC material layer may be formed in a nematic or a smectic configuration. JP11223816A further discloses in paragraph [0069], wherein second linearly oriented grooves over the second polymer layer 13b are orthogonal to the first linearly oriented grooves. JP11223816A further discloses in paragraph [0055], wherein the molecules of the LC material layer may be formed in a cholesteric configuration.
As to claim 20, JP11223816A in view of Wang discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 17. Furthermore, the first electrode 12a comprises an anode, and the second electrode 12b comprises a cathode.
JP11223816A in view of Wang does not disclose wherein the first alignment layer comprises an electron-donor including an oxidizer enabled at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode. However, the oxidation is caused by the electron-donor monomer donating electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of JP11223816A as modified by Wang. Furthermore, JP11223816A discloses in paragraph [0028], optimizing the strength of the electron donating property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify JP11223816A, wherein the first alignment layer comprises an electron-donor monomer including an oxidizer enabled at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron donating property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
JP11223816A in view of Wang does not disclose wherein the second alignment layer comprises an electron-acceptor monomer including a reducer enabled at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode. However, the reduction is caused by the electron-acceptor monomer accepting electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of JP11223816A as modified by Wang. Furthermore, JP11223816A discloses in paragraph [0031], optimizing the strength of the electron accepting property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify JP11223816A, wherein the second alignment layer comprises an electron-acceptor monomer including a reducer enabled at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron accepting property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection. The new ground of rejection are based in part on the newly cited prior art of Wang et al. (US 2022/0131078).
Conclusion
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/DAVID Y CHUNG/Examiner, Art Unit 2871